The sound of her door creaking open made Eda's ears twitch and her eyes open slowly. She wasn't always a light sleeper, but she wasn't even fully asleep to begin with, anyway. She groaned softly and gazed over at her door, seeing her young apprentice standing there.
"Luz?" She asked in a tired voice, rubbing her eyes, "What's wrong?"
Luz sniffled snd anxiously pulled on her hoodie's strings. "Eda..I-" She stammered, as if she could barely even speak properly at this time.
The way her voice cracked instantly alerted the witch. Eda hadn't really paid attention to her at first, since she was exhausted and unaware of anything. But now upon really observing the human girl, she saw how distraught and upset she really was. Her eyes were puffy and red, hot tears staining her cheeks. Her hands were shaking and her face was pale, as if she'd witnessed her own death. The way she stared at Eda was a desperate cry for help.
Eda wasn't sure what was wrong, but she was instantly prepared to defend the poor girl at any cost.
She sat up in her nest and gestured for Luz to come over to her. "Hey, tell me what's wrong." She said in concern.
Luz slowly and unsteadily stepped over to the nest, pulling her hood over her head. "I-I—I had a dream.." She murmured, barely making any eye contact with the witch—presumably from embarrassment and shame. "I- I watched you..get stabbed a-and..you...you.."
Eda didn't need to hear anymore, she could fill in the blank. Normally, she would've just brushed it off as no big deal and shooed the human away, especially since she was so tired. But seeing how the nightmare had affected Luz, how horrifyingly graphic and realistic it must've been, Eda knew to take it seriously. After all, it was clear that the girl cared about her and was afraid of losing her.
And though Eda wouldn't admit it so easily, she couldn't blame her. She was scared of losing her, too.
The witch sighed softly and sat up so she could face her properly. "It's okay, kid. It was just a dream. It wasn't real." She said as assuringly as she could, "I'm here. I'm fine. You're fine."
Luz nodded and closed her eyes, allowing more tears to fall. She sniffed and stifled back a sob, which surprised Eda. She wasn't used to seeing the girl cry, and quietly honestly she wasn't sure what to do to comfort her.
But then she remembered the certain gesture of affection Luz showed to her in the past. Though it often made her uncomfortable, Luz needed that right now. With a solemn frown, Eda extended her arms.
Luz took notice and quickly threw herself into Eda's embrace, hiding her face in her chest, listening to the comforting sound of her heartbeat. She sobbed softly, her shoulders moving as she cried harshly. Eda carefully rubbed the back of the teen's head, brushing her fingers through her hair. "Shh..it's okay, it's okay." She whispered comfortingly, "I'm here, I've got you."
Admittedly, Luz found it odd how affectionate and caring the witch was being. But she wasn't complaining. It was nice, and it made her feel safe and secure. The dream was just a dream. Eda was alive, and she would never leave her.
After a moment or so, Luz was able to compose herself. Though she wished the hug could've lasted forever, she knew that Eda was tired and needed her rest. She slowly looked up at her, "C-can I stay with you tonight?"
Eda thought for a moment. Though she wouldn't have minded it, she didn't think her nest would be a good place for a human to sleep for a night. "How about this, we go to your room and I'll stay with you until you fall asleep. Will that make you feel better?" She suggested, holding Luz by her shoulders.
The teen nodded as she wiped her face, attempting to dry her tears. Eda stood up and walked with her down the hall and into her bedroom. Luz laid down in her mattress, tucking herself in with the various blankets she stole from the closet. "I'm sorry I bothered you." She said with a frown.
Eda shook her head as she sat on the edge of the mattress, "Don't be sorry. Just lay down and relax."
Luz nodded, shifting into a comfortable position and shutting her eyes. Eda gently rubbed her shoulder to further soothe her nerves. "Can you sing to me?" Luz requested in a soft tone.
"I don't sing lullabies, kid." Eda snorted.
"Can you hum, then?" The teen shrugged, "Please?"
Eda sighed in defeat. As much as she didn't want to, she couldn't say no to her apprentice right now. She cleared her throat before beginning to hum a soft and calming tune, still rubbing the girl's shoulder in an easing manner.
It took a few minutes, but soon enough Luz had fallen back asleep with a smile on her face. Eda stopped her humming and her movements, but continued to gaze at the human with a soft smile. Sometimes it amazed her how strong of a bond they had and they hadn't even known each other that long. Luz really brought out the softy in her.
As Eda stood up and walked away, she drew a circle in the air, which pulled the blanket up to cover Luz's shoulders. She took one last glance at the girl before walking away, yawning softly.
Luz slept peacefully the rest of the night, knowing that a dream was just a dream.